Hydro means water, and the overall term “Hydroponics” means “working water” or “effective water”. It is a recent technology, in which, plants are grown without soil, and only in water. But, this water is just more than “simple water”. The pH of the water is balanced using suitable chemicals, and nutrients, in soluble form, are mixed into it.

Plants have to spent a lot of energy to withdraw nutrients from the soil. In hydroponics, plants spent less energy to withdraw nutrients and gets adequate and optimum amount of nutrient, because the water has been “pre-designed”.

We can use different amount of nutrients and different pH of the water, depending on the need of the plant. The plants are grown in an inert growing medium, which is perfectly balanced. Here, growing medium means the medium in which the roots of the plant are growing. Growing medium can be Rockwool, perlite, vermiculite, gravel, coconut fiber and many others.

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The major constituents for almost every plant are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (commonly known as NPK). The major difference in hydroponics and other regular fertilizers lies in the amount. Soil provides a lot of nutrients, but they may be more than adequate, and sometimes less than it. Contrary to it, the amount of nutrients are measured and optimum for the plant.

Advantages of this technique lie in its simplicity and effectiveness. You have to give less care to your beloved plants, and the result is always fruitful.

Thankfully, cultivation is not rocketing engineering. More surprisingly, it is much simpler than expected. Here are some small tips to tell you how to grow and care for vegetables in your garden, even at your balcony or at your terrace. We start with the most common vegetables.

Potatoes:

There are few things a man can take from potatoes. They are very friendly, as they mix with almost every other vegetable, and they are very simple. Just one thing, the sown area must be hilled up, because potatoes need additional loose soil area so they can swell. Hilling also prevents them from weeds. Potatoes can withstand few dry days, but they require adequate amount of water. Potatoes expand more easily in loose, well-aerated, loamy soil than a compact one. Addition of organic matter likes leaves, hay, peat- moss or manure definitely helps.

Cucumber:

A cylindrical fruit from the family cucurbitaceae, and a creeping vine, is one of the main ingredients of salad and pickles. Cucumbers need warm season, temperature around 210 C and slightly alkaline or neutral soil. Light, sandy soil is the most preferred one.

Lettuce:

Famous for its enormous variety, it also holds its reputation in botany, as this vegetable is researched and experimented most. Although, it is highly important for botany students, it maintains its dignity between common

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people also. It is a crop of cool season that grows well in springs at temperature ranging between 45 F to 65 F. Preferred soil is slightly acidic (pH range of 6 to 6.5), loose, loamy and sandy added up with good humus content and organic matter.

Beets:

It is one another vegetable which can be grown comfortably in your houses. It is also a cool seasoned crop with a huge variety. Soil pH should be maintained around 5.5 to 6 (which means slightly acidic). Seeds must be planted ½ inches deep 1-2 inches apart. Keep the soil moist for better germination of the seeds.

Beans:

Beans are tender and fresh, requires less care and comes up in huge quantities. Seeds are sown after spring, when the soil temperature is about 48-500 F.

Cole Crops:

This crop maintains its due respect due to genetics, and because of its huge variety. Cole crops require soils that have continuous water throughout the season. Well drained, sandy loam soils are most suited one to early varieties, while loamy and clay loam soils are suited to late varieties like broccoli.

Common Plant Pests & their Control

Pests cause diseases in plants and enormous losses to the potential agricultural production. There are number of pests which make a farmer’s life miserable .It is not possible to mention all of them, hence only some of the most common, frequent, and troublesome are listed.

Aphids –

They are the most persistent one. Green fly generally attacks softer vegetables, while Black fly is the enemy of the orchard.

Control & Treatment: Use tobacco steeped in water. Soft soap dissolved in water is also a cheap and effective remedy. Ladybugs or ladybirds are natural predators to aphids; hence releasing them into your garden is also a better idea.

Bean Aphids (Bean plant louse or Black Dolphin) –

The pupa is black in color with grayish white mottlings, while the female is deep greenish. This insect commonly attacks the young beans.

Control & Treatment: Cut the infected parts (which are mostly young shoot and tops) and burn them. If condition persists, spray a solution of soap and quassia over the beans.

Woolly Aphids –

They increase very rapidly, and in not controlled on time, can ruin the whole orchard.

Control & Treatment: If woolly spots are detected, small tainted boughs must be pruned away. Using of soap soft can work.

Cabbage root fly–

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They attack calabrese, broccoli, turnips, Swedes, etc. Seedlings and transplants are most likely to be attacked.

Control & Treatment: One homemade technique is to make small discs of cardboards and cut a straight line from the outer edge to the center. Insert this disc as a collar around each plant.

Carrot fly–

The shining larvae live upon the roots of carrot and causes rot.

Control & Treatment: Soak the garden with a mixture of wood ashes and water once a week.

Celery fly–

Spots, deficient of leaf green in your plants, are an indication of attacks of celery fly.

Control & Treatment: Dust new plants of celery with soot, which prevents the fly to lay its egg. Cut and burn the damaged portion of the leaves, if already infected. Frequent rough digging also helps in controlling this pest, as the pest is exposed to birds.

Onion Fly–

The scientific name of this pest is Phorbia cepetorum and they attack onion. The result is discoloration of the leaves.

Control & Treatment: Powdered lime well mixed with water (in a ratio of 2:1) may be sown evenly over the onion bed and raked.

Turnip Fly –

One of the most troublesome pest, because of its high rate of reproduction.

Control & Treatment: The sprinkling of slaked lime over the seedlings is a safe and an efficient remedy, although, it does not work every time.

Root knot Eelworm –

One of the worst pests for cucumbers. Each worm is about 1/75th of an inch and is coiled up inside a transparent egg.

Control & Treatment: Remove all infected plants, as soon as infection is identified. Expose the soil to the birds by digging it well. Mix fresh compost, added with lime and soot, into the soil.

Mealy bug –

The name is due to its mealy, floury or cottony appearance. Grape vines are most susceptible.

Pruning:

Pruning is the process of removal of the unwanted plant parts. It is done, either to improve the health of the plant or simply, for aesthetic reasons, to improve the look of the plant. In every sense, it is a form of art and leads to formation of a good plant, if done nicely.

Importance of pruning:

It improves plant’s overall health. Cutting the diseased part of the plant make it healthier and more energized.

It gives a new shape and size to the plant, because pruning controls and direct new growth.

It prevents the spreading of the disease.

Pruning compensates for the loss of roots, as it balances the root and shoot system. In this way, plant does not have to bear more weight.

Pruning improves air circulation; especially underlying leaves can get more sunlight after pruning.

Pruning of roses:

The right time to prune roses is in the month of February or March. Some general tips for pruning roses are as follows.

Make a cut not more than 5 mm above the bud and in a sloping way, so that water should not get collected into it.

Cuts must be clean, which means that your cutting tools need to be sharp enough.

Cut all the diseased and dead stems.

Poorly flowering old wood and old stubs that have failed to produce new shoots should also be cut down.

Pruning in some other flowers:

Bougainvillea :

This plant can be pruned at any time of the year, but the best time considered is very early spring. Late pruning can affect flower production, while early pruning can kill the new growth.

Jasmine:

This plant is known for its fragrance. When new growth appears on young plants, pinch out the top 3 inch of the stems by squeezing them between your thumb and finger. It promotes rapid growth and lush foliage.